Likening our relationship to joining for ‘a game of chess’ in reflecting on our experience in Handshake2 Harrell says; ‘It has that kind of same mental stimulation for me. But here it is a particular kind of game that I happen to just have been involved with for a long time; a kind of strange…
Request… ‘We ask that you to loan a jewellery item/object to the Gallery for the duration of the exhibition. We also ask that you share a small story pertaining to the piece. The story could be a small narrative/experience relating to the piece, its history, how you received it, its personal significance… this would be…
A series of Conversations. One from 1/4/16: curating/gathering… 1/4/16, Transcript from skype conversation … R to H: ‘I am wondering how we go about getting the pieces and the stories, there are a few options like, would it all come from one family? different generations of one family? Or could it be completely random? Or…
‘Other photographers are interested in looking at something but they never discuss the nature of what they are looking at. If I see a women crying I want to know why is she crying, what’s the nature of her grief. I am constantly on the frontier, that cusp between looking and feeling.’ Duane Michals makes…
With Harrell and my collaboration focusing on people’s objects and their stories, I’ve had a renewed interest in reading about the power of language and the act of storytelling. This brought me to this lovely quote from Elizabeth Alexander. “word is one of the ways we have to reach across to each other”
Paul Thek’s ‘Teaching Notes’ A list with both personal/philosophical questions and assignments given to Thek’s students as part of his 4-D Sculpture class, Cooper Union School of Arts, New York, 1978-1981. Name Age Birthdate Place of birth Position in family Nationality Religion Education Hobbies Career plans Parents’ education Parents’ birthplace Parents’ religion Where do you…
Stories allow us to see things through other peoples eyes, feel their experiences and reflect back on our own experiences and lives. Duane Michals (B.1932) is one of the 20th centuries most influential photographers. Described as a Storyteller Michals challenged photography traditions and built a reputation for ‘pioneering new ways of considering and creating photographs’…
Lately I have been thinking about a sentence I came across while reading about the great Manfred Nisslmuller The sentence reads… The nature of jewellery and the process by which jewellery comes to be. This beautifully framed statement won’t leave my thoughts. Instead I keep thinking… … at what point does something come to be…
‘Things are in the saddle and ride mankind’ Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about jewellery. Everyday jewellery. Its varied function and use. How these pieces intersect with our lives.…Thinking about the relational nature of jewellery. This made me think of Dr. Madeleine Albright and her powerful and provocative collection/use of pins in her Diplomatic role as U.S. Secretary of State. ‘Read my…
We all know the saying ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’ Absence also has the ability to bring out subtleties that often go undetected or are unseen. Suska Mackert highlights this beautifully with her retouched enlarged press photographs. Suska Mackert; enlarged press photographs, retouched. The original photographs depict the giving and receiving of a…
Affaren, a retrospective show of work by Gerd Rothman at Galerie Handwerk, Munich. What a show! I left those doors with a feeling of satisfaction … a bit like having consumed a good, nutritious, delicious and satisfying meal. I guess one thing I realised was that I entered the show without any particular expectations. It was…
Curated by Peter Deckers Specials presented works by 27 artists, showcasing a selection of works from Handshake I and II as well as some new works and collaborative works between mentor/mentee. The exhibiting artists were Debbie Adamson, Vanessa Arthur, Renee Bevan, Becky Bliss, Nadene Carr, Kristin D’Agostino & Judy Darragh, Karren Dale, Gillian Deery, Sharon…
With the tremendous support of Creative New Zealand Munich was once again visited by a large delegation of New Zealander’s from the Craft/Object sector. Under my role as Talente Scout/Mentor & Schmuck Liason I returned to Munich to support our artists participating in these special exhibitions. Talente and Schmuck are part of the annual Munich Handwerk Fair…
I don’t want to paint a tree; I want my work to be a tree.
I don’t want to work with materials. embrace failure, uncertainty, the unknown. use trust, faith, belief as ingredients. make something you would put in your will. keep to the essence. collaborate with the past. With the future. With life. make objects ‘perform’. make an object feel. work that moves. make work that is alive. Mah…
ask questions … lots of them… always! And for those of us that do this to no end … be careful asking too many … this just might stop you.
this can be your strength.
